Improvement in stencil-pens



A. E. HIX.

sTENcIL PEN.

Patented Jan. Z, 1877.

UNITED STATES PATENT @Errea ALBERT E. HIX, OF SYCAMORE, ILLINOIS.

|MPRovEMENT IN sTENclL-PENS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 185,827, dated January2, 1877; application tiled July 29, 1876.

To all whom 'it may concern Be it known that I, ALBE aT EUGENE Hrx, ofSycamore, in the county of De Kalb and State of Illinois, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Stencil-Pens, which is fully set forthin thefollowing specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdraw ings, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of theapparatus; Fig. 2. a vertical section taken on the line x x, Fig. l, aportion of the apparatus being broken away; and Fig. 8, 'a detailvertical section taken on the line y y, Fig. I.

My invention relates to mechanism for preparing paper stencils to beused in making copies in the same way as those prepared by what is knownas the Electrical Pen.77

The invention consists in mounting the pen or needle on an arm which hasboth a horizontal and vertical motion, so as to give the needle therequired freedom of movement and, also, in'the special devices fordriving the needle, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, A represents a portion of the desk or table, and B Btwo upright posts or standards rigidly attached to the table, andjoinedtogether at their upperends, so astoconstitute a rigid and firmsupporting-frame. The standards B B, instead of being attached to thedesk or table, may be fastened to the wall of a room, or any other firmsupport which will enable the apparatus to be conveniently disposed forpractical use. Between the standards B is secured a solid block, C,which is provided with a socket, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings.Within the socket in the block C is set a pin, D, the upper end of whichis forked and bent outward, so as to receive one end of a swinging armor light frame, E E, which is pivoted at its inner end to the ears ofthe pin D. The upper end of the tube F is pivoted to the outer end ofthe swinging frame E by means of a rectangular box, F', upon the upperend. An elastic cord, G, 1s attached to the swinging frame E, somedistance in front of its pivotal connection, and also to the top of thesupport B B. This cord should be, sufficiently strong to prevent theframe E from falling by its own weight and the mechanism attachedthereto, but at the same time should yield easily, soh as to permit theneedle to be held down to the paper without the exertion of much force.Instead of an elastic cord, a spring or other suitable elastic supportmay be employed.

Upon the pivot connecting the pin D and the arms E is placed adriving-pulley, H, lo-

cated between the arms E E. A second small pulley, I, is mounted uponthe pivot which joins the frame E and the needle-tube F. the pulleybeing within the box F. An eccentric or cam, K, is fastened to thepulley I and made a part thereof.

The needle-pitman L is forked at its upper end, as seen in Fig. 3 of thedrawings. A cross-bar is fastened to the free ends ofthe forked pieces,so as to form with them a sultable bearing for the eccentric K, whichthey are arranged to surround. The pitman L extends down through thetube F, and a needle, M, is attached to its lower end, and projectsslightly through the lower end of the tube F, which is pointed andcontracted to iit closely around the needles, as seen in Fig. l of thedrawings.

A band, Nz passes over the pulleys H and I, and it is evident,therefore, that if motion is communicated to the pulley H, a vibratingmovement will be given to the needle M by means ofthe eccentric K andpitman L. A pulley, O, is mounted upon the same axis as the pulley H, towhich it is secured, if the latter is a loose pulley; but if the pulleyH is fastened to its journal-shaft, the pulley O may be separatetherefrom, but secured to the journal-shaft. The pulley 0 is rotated bymeans of the band P, which passes around it, andis driven by an ordinarytreadle and track, or any other simple device of like nature. Thislatter device I have not shown, as it is so common that its operation inthis connection Will be readily understood. By the motion of the pulley0 the necessary motion is given to the pulley H to reciprocate theneedle M, the vibrations of which may be made as rapid as desired byarranging the drivingpulleys suitably with reference to their size. Theears of the pin D project in front of the standard B, and aresufliciently contracted to permit the swinging around of the frame E toa considerable extent.

It will be seen that with my device the needle may be moved in threedirectionsthat is to say, it may be moved in the are of 'a circle; byturning the pin D in its socket it may be swung back and forth instraight lines upon its own pivot; and it may be raised and lowered byraising and lowering the frame E on its pivotal connection. Sufcientfreedom of motion is thus obtained for the needle to permit letters orother characters to be traced upon paper while the needle is vibrated,thereby forming a stencil, which is afterward used in making copies, inthe usual manner.

By arrangement of the driving mechanism 'and supporting parts the needleis relieved from any great weight, and therefore can bc guided upon thepaper to form the stencil with great ease. The elastic cord Gr alsoass'ists in this direction, and acts to withdraw the puncturing-needlefrom the paper so soon as it is released.

I am aware that stencil-papers for copying have been prepared by aninstrument called the Electrical Pen, by which the puncturingneedle isdriven by a small electrical exigirle mounted upon the needle-arm, andtherefore I do not claim, broadly, a vibrating needle for making'stencil-papers.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of the swivel-pin D, swinging frame E, pivotedthereto, and needletuhe F, pivoted to saidframe, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination ot' the pulleys H and 0. bands N and P, pulley I.,eccentric or cam K, pitman L, and needle M, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

ALBERT EUGENE HIX. Witnesses:

ARTHUR M. STARK, C. W. MosHER.

